“The reasonings about the wonderful and intricate operations of Nature are so full of uncertainty, that, as the Wise-man truly observes, hardly do we guess aright at the things jhat are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us.” Stephen Hales, Vegetable Staticks (1727), p. 318, 1738.

“Ever since I have been enquiring into the works of Nature I have always loved and admired the Simplicity of her Ways.” Dr George Martine (a pupil of Boorhaave’s), in Medical Essays and Observations, Edinburgh, 1747.

THIS book of mine has little need of preface, for indeed it is “all preface” from beginning to end. I have written it as an easy introduction to the study of organic Form, by methods which are the commonplaces of physical science, which are by no means novel in their application to natural history, but which nevertheless naturalists are little accustomed to employ.

It is not the biologist with an inkling of mathematics, but the skilled and learned mathematician who must ultimately deal with such problems as are sketched and adumbrated here. I pretend to no mathematical skill, but I have made what use I could of what tools I had; I have dealt with simple cases, and the mathematical methods which I have introduced are of the easiest and simplest kind. Elementary as they are, my book has not been written without the help — the indispensable help^ — of many friends. Like Mr Pope translating Homer, when I felt myself deficient I sought assistance! And the experience which Johnson attributed to Pope has been mine also, that men of learning did not refuse to help me.

I wrote this book in wartime, and its revision has employed me during another war. It gave me solace and occupation, when service was debarred me by my years.

Few are left of the friends who helped me write it, but I do not forget the debt I owe them all. Let me add another to these kindly names, that of Dr G. T. Bennett, of Emmanuel College, Cambridge; he has never wearied of collaboration with me, and his criticisms have been an education to receive.